OPUWO – The Swapo Party’s Kunene regional leadership has concluded its district conferences to elect office bearers.
The conferences to elect coordinators, treasurers and district mobilisers, were held in all seven districts of Sesfontein, Epupa, Opuwo Rural, Outjo, Opuwo Urban, Khorixas and Kamanjab from 05 to 13 August.
Announcing the outcome of the conferences last Thursday, Swapo’s regional administrator Emily Ndjiluwa said the conferences took place in accordance with Article 43 (10) of the Swapo Party constitution and in accordance with Sections 23 and 26 of the party rules and procedures for the election of office bearers and representatives at legislature and government level.
Ndjiluwa said Kephas Itaratjike was elected Sesfontein district coordinator, while Uaanatjo Kakuva will head the Opuwo Rural district and Steven Tjambiru will serve as the Epupa district coordinator.
Former Opuwo town councillor Willemia Nashihua was elected coordinator for Opuwo Urban, while Outjo voted for Ellis Geriseb and Kamanjab district settled for Hanna Lewe.
Paulina Haragaes (Sesfontein); Lilia Kakori Kandetu (Opuwo Rural); Victorino Simon (Opuwo Urban); Paladia Augustinho (Epupa); Stella!Ganes (Khorixas); Issai Katambo (Outjo); and Pinehas Hashonadali (Kamanjab) were elected mobilisers for their respective districts. As treasurer, Sesfontein chose Johannes Gawaseb, Opuwo Rural elected Kanjandere Kaee, and Koos Kakuva was unopposed in Opuwo Urban.
Immanuel Korukuve was elected treasurer of the Epupa district, while Laurence Kandundu will be in charge of Outjo’s district finances.
In the Khorixas and Kamanjab districts, Emmanuel //Khamuseb and Bianca Nguaiko ran unopposed for the treasurer’s posts, respectively.
Speaking at the press briefing, Swapo’s Kunene regional coordinator Julius Kaujova noted that congresses and conferences are organs and instruments used by the party to examine and analyse successes and achievements for a given time and offer new methods for service delivery. Kaujova however, stated that the results of the party’s congresses have left the party more divided, with some members threatening to leave or leaving the party after losing at congresses.
He maintained that the party suffered in the previous elections because some party members failed to accept defeat at conferences. “The attitude of not accepting outcomes cost us dearly in the past and I hope we are not going to experience such attitudes now that we have successfully completed all seven district conferences,” noted Kaujova.
He urged party members to unite ahead of the elections next year, saying that opposition parties are joining forces and devising strategies to overcome the ruling party, therefore, “we need to be vigilant and stand united more than ever before.” The returning officers for the just-concluded conferences were Marius Sheya and Titus Rungondo.
-Nampa